Samuel Adams
Boston, Massachusetts Education: Boston Latin School. Received BA from Harvard University; 1740. Received MA from Harvard University; 1743. Work History: Partner of his family’s malt house and Malster; “Served as one of the clerks of the Boston market” (Samuel); Tax-collector; Elected to Massachusetts Assembly, 1765; Delegate to the First Continental Congress, 1774; Signed Declaration of Independence, 1776; Member of Massachusetts State constitutional convention, 1781; Appointed Lieutenant Governor of Mass., 1789; Elected Governor of Massachusetts, 1794-1797 (Left). Political Viewpoint: Anti-Federalist. State Represented: Massachusetts Geography: “Massachusetts is characterized by a jagged indented coast from Rhode Island around Cape Cod. The land rises upward to the west with stony upland pastures in the central part of Massachusetts and gentle hill country in the west” (Geography). Economy: Fishing was a large part of Massachusetts’s economy, as well as exporting goods such as tobacco. But, in regard to Massachusetts’s economic status, its economy was very weak. Massachusetts kept printing money (legal tender) which caused inflation, crippling Massachusetts’s economy. “The Massachusetts economy could not meet the region’s money-supply needs” because in the 1730s Massachusetts had issued large amounts of the Massachusetts currency “which depreciated rapidly” and were “being withdrawn from circulation” when Samuel Adams was governor (Alexander). Population: In 1790, the population of Massachusetts was 378,787 (Population). Social Structure: The people of Massachusetts were very religious and mostly common people (Ostrander) who held the occupations of farmers and servants, although some were merchants and aristocrats (royal) (What). Socio-Economic Background: Samuel Adams had a very high socio-economic background. He graduated from Harvard, he came from a wealthy family who owned a malt house, was well respected in his community after being a tax collector, and he was governor of Massachusetts (Annals). The only aspect of Adams life that lowered his socio-economic background was that had trouble handling money. Constantly focused on politics, Adams was not concerned with his financial status and often needed financial assistance. Constitutional Convention: Samuel Adams was not a member of the Constitutional Convention. As an anti-federalist, Adams did not support a strong, central government and felt that the national government would receive too much authority and control if the Constitution was ratified (Biography). Member of the Massachusetts Ratifying Convention (1788): “Adams took a more and more prominent place in the revolutionary councils and he declared that colonial representation in parliament was out of the question and advised against any form of compromise. Contrary to the opinion of Otis and Benjamin Franklin, [Adams] declared that colonial representation in parliament was out of the question and advised against any form of compromise. Many of the Massachusetts revolutionary documents, including the famous "Massachusetts Resolves" and the circular letter to the legislatures of the other colonies, are from his pen; but owing to the fact that he usually acted as clerk to the House of Representatives and to the several committees of which he was a member, documents were written by him which expressed the ideas of the committee as a whole. There can be no question, however, that Samuel Adams was one of the first, if not the first, of American political leaders to deny the legislative power of parliament and to desire and advocate separation from the mother country”. At first, Sam Adams, like Patrick Henry, was an opponent of the Constitution of 1787. Eventually Adams agreed to support it because of the compromise regarding the Bill of Rights (Sam). Adams also supported the sovereignty of the states which was one of the reasons why he disagreed with a strong, national government. He believed that state governments would better serve the American people’s needs (Gerhardt). When he first read that instrument he was very much opposed to the consolidated government which it provided, but was induced to befriend it by resolutions which were passed at a mass meeting of Boston mechanics or "tradesmen" -- his own firmest supporters -- and by the suggestion that its ratification should be accompanied by a recommendation of amendments designed chiefly to supply the omission of a bill of rights (Adams). Samuel Adams voted to ratify the Massachusetts constitution under the condition that more amendments will be proposed after the Constitution was ratified and also helped sway votes in favor of ratifying the Constitution. Friends: Fellow Anti-Federalists: Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, George Mason, George Clinton, Robert Yates, Samuel Bryan, Mercy Otis Warren, Tench Cox, Samuel Nasson, Amos Singletary, and Melancton Smith.
Federalist: John Adams (cousin) Foes:
Federalists: John Jay, Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Wilson, John Dickinson, James Madison, Edmund Randolph, and Jonathon Smith.
Boston, Massachusetts
Education:
Boston Latin School. Received BA from Harvard University; 1740. Received MA from Harvard University; 1743.
Work History:
Partner of his family’s malt house and Malster; “Served as one of the clerks of the Boston market” (Samuel); Tax-collector; Elected to Massachusetts Assembly, 1765; Delegate to the First Continental Congress, 1774; Signed Declaration of Independence, 1776; Member of Massachusetts State constitutional convention, 1781; Appointed Lieutenant Governor of Mass., 1789; Elected Governor of Massachusetts, 1794-1797 (Left).
Political Viewpoint: Anti-Federalist.
State Represented: Massachusetts
Geography: “Massachusetts is characterized by a jagged indented coast from Rhode Island around Cape Cod. The land rises upward to the west with stony upland pastures in the central part of Massachusetts and gentle hill country in the west” (Geography).
Economy: Fishing was a large part of Massachusetts’s economy, as well as exporting goods such as tobacco. But, in regard to Massachusetts’s economic status, its economy was very weak. Massachusetts kept printing money (legal tender) which caused inflation, crippling Massachusetts’s economy. “The Massachusetts economy could not meet the region’s money-supply needs” because in the 1730s Massachusetts had issued large amounts of the Massachusetts currency “which depreciated rapidly” and were “being withdrawn from circulation” when Samuel Adams was governor (Alexander).
Population: In 1790, the population of Massachusetts was 378,787 (Population).
Social Structure: The people of Massachusetts were very religious and mostly common people (Ostrander) who held the occupations of farmers and servants, although some were merchants and aristocrats (royal) (What).
Socio-Economic Background: Samuel Adams had a very high socio-economic background. He graduated from Harvard, he came from a wealthy family who owned a malt house, was well respected in his community after being a tax collector, and he was governor of Massachusetts (Annals). The only aspect of Adams life that lowered his socio-economic background was that had trouble handling money. Constantly focused on politics, Adams was not concerned with his financial status and often needed financial assistance.
Constitutional Convention: Samuel Adams was not a member of the Constitutional Convention. As an anti-federalist, Adams did not support a strong, central government and felt that the national government would receive too much authority and control if the Constitution was ratified (Biography).
Member of the Massachusetts Ratifying Convention (1788): “Adams took a more and more prominent place in the revolutionary councils and he declared that colonial representation in parliament was out of the question and advised against any form of compromise. Contrary to the opinion of Otis and Benjamin Franklin, [Adams] declared that colonial representation in parliament was out of the question and advised against any form of compromise. Many of the Massachusetts revolutionary documents, including the famous "Massachusetts Resolves" and the circular letter to the legislatures of the other colonies, are from his pen; but owing to the fact that he usually acted as clerk to the House of Representatives and to the several committees of which he was a member, documents were written by him which expressed the ideas of the committee as a whole. There can be no question, however, that Samuel Adams was one of the first, if not the first, of American political leaders to deny the legislative power of parliament and to desire and advocate separation from the mother country”. At first, Sam Adams, like Patrick Henry, was an opponent of the Constitution of 1787. Eventually Adams agreed to support it because of the compromise regarding the Bill of Rights (Sam). Adams also supported the sovereignty of the states which was one of the reasons why he disagreed with a strong, national government. He believed that state governments would better serve the American people’s needs (Gerhardt). When he first read that instrument he was very much opposed to the consolidated government which it provided, but was induced to befriend it by resolutions which were passed at a mass meeting of Boston mechanics or "tradesmen" -- his own firmest supporters -- and by the suggestion that its ratification should be accompanied by a recommendation of amendments designed chiefly to supply the omission of a bill of rights (Adams). Samuel Adams voted to ratify the Massachusetts constitution under the condition that more amendments will be proposed after the Constitution was ratified and also helped sway votes in favor of ratifying the Constitution.
Friends:
Fellow Anti-Federalists: Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, George Mason, George Clinton, Robert Yates, Samuel Bryan, Mercy Otis Warren, Tench Cox, Samuel Nasson, Amos Singletary, and Melancton Smith.
Federalist: John Adams (cousin)
Foes:
Federalists: John Jay, Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Wilson, John Dickinson, James Madison, Edmund Randolph, and Jonathon Smith.
Bibliography:
Alexander, John K. Samuel Adams: America’s Revolutionary Politician.
Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc. United States of America: 2002.
Gerhardt, Jennie; Sister Carrie. Twelve Men. Penguin Putnam Inc, New York: 1993.
Holmes, Abiel. The Annals of America. London: 1770.
Ostrander, Gilman M. “The Social Structure of Early Massachusetts.” 2008. American Heritage.
19 September 2009 <http://www.americanheritage.com/articl es/magazine/ah/1958/2 /1958_2_112.shtml>.
“Population.” 27 August 1993. Census. 19 September 2009 <http://www.census.gov/population/
www/censusdata/files/table-16.pdf>.
Russell, Benjamin. Debates, Resolutions, and Other Proceedings of the Convention of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Gazette: Boston: 1788.
“Samuel Adams 1722-1803.” 2003. LeftJustified. 19 September 2009
<http://www.leftjustified.com/leftjust/lib/sc/ht/decl/gbioa-e.html>.
“Samuel Adams.” 2009. NNDB. 19 September 2009
<http://www.nndb.com/people/732/000048588/>.
“Samuel Adams Biography.” History Central. 19 September 2009
<http://www.historycentral.com/Bio/RevoltBIOS/AdamsSamuel.html>.
“The Geography of Massachusetts.” 12 June 2009. NetState. 19 September 2009
<http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ma_geography.htm>.
“What Was the Social Structure of Massachusetts Settlers.” WikiAnswers 19 September 2009 <
http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:_KX_hDmi9K0J:wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_the_Social_Structure_of_Massachusetts_Settlers+social+structure+of+Massachusetts+in+1790&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us>.